Gunda-Raj Season 2

Almost a year ago, I wrote a post (titled Gunda-Raj) on Raj Thackeray and his party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's stand on the unnecessary fuss over non-Marathis. A year later, the issue has bounced back with the entry of a side hero (or should I say the sidekick of the villain) MNS MLA Ram Kadam slapped Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi for taking oath in Hindi. (watch this video)

Such an incident is a shame on the name of democracy. Its worst than dictatorship. Utter nonsense. I want to ask the MNS-men that is Hindi a language from Pakistan? Or is Maharashtra not a part of India? Is this what the Marathi manoos have reduced to do?
To me, MNS = Makes No Sense !

Even Abu Azmi is no saint. But he's an elected representative. And who says that one form of gundaism can be met with another form of gundaism? Azmi himself has a dubious past. There have been several allegations against him including links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He was also accused in the 1993 Bombay Bomb Blasts, but was later acquitted by the court. Still, will this incident not make him a hero (at least to some people)?

But that's not the point of discussion. Azmi, being an elected representative, being an Indian citizen, had the right to take oath in any of the Indian languages. And Hindi is no foreign language.

I would like to quote one of Rajdeep Sardesai's tweets :

"linguistic chauvinism is hypocritical. most mns leaders send their children to eng medium schools, ditto with samajwadi party."

I agree with this totally ! Both MNS and SP are taking advantage of this issue now to gain political mileage from the Marathas and the minority communities respectively. But, in the long run, this is going to create a lot of differences in the minds of people over regionalism.

The fact that the MNS bagged 13 seats in the Maharashtra assembly is an indication that Raj Thackeray has succeeded in creating a fear psychosis in the minds of people. And due to this issue, he has also gained sympathy of some. But, his brand of politics would lead him nowhere.

This incident clearly highlights the fact that the basic principle of "Unity in Diversity" lies nowhere. Should we assume that the MNS has no respect for the law and the Constitution? Why should we not tag them as anti-nationalists? Aren't they a threat to the security of the nation? If the UP government can impose the NSA on Varun Gandhi, why can't the Maharashtra government do the same on such extremists?

A lot of questions in my mind. But, from whom should I seek answers?

हिन्दी हैं हम, वतन हिन्दोस्तां हमारा...

Let there be peace !

PS : I'll speak Hindi even in Maharashtra and I am not afraid of Raj Thackeray or anybody !! And as they say in Hindi : 

"जो उखाड़ना है, उखाड़ ले...."